All living things depend on trees directly or indirectly. Our beautiful planet Earth would not survive without trees. Life as we know it would not exist without trees. This shows the importance of trees to our lives. We humans who heavily depend on trees do not realize that we are threatening our very existence when we go cutting down trees, may it be for necessary, or selfish needs. Some of us do not stop to think how our actions are destroying the planet Earth, our home. Deforestation at the current rate would soon leave our mother Earth a barren and desolate place. Hence, going green by protecting and planting trees is essential for our existence. As we emphasize on the need for saving trees, here are five reasons why we need to protect trees.

Trees provide vital oxygen.

Trees, like other members in the plant kingdom produce their own food using the process of photosynthesis. In this natural process, trees take up Carbondioxide from the atmosphere and release Oxygen as a by-product. The more trees present, the more Oxygen plants will release. We would not survive without oxygen. This is the most important reason why we need to save as many trees as possible. The following equation shows how the process of photosynthesis takes place.

Carbondioxide + water --------------> Glucose + Oxygen

Trees help moderate the climate.

Trees regulate the climate by moderating rain, wind and reflecting or absorbing solar radiation. Trees cool our environment and shade us from the burning rays of the sun. In the vicinity of trees the temperature is kept in check. An area can get heated up and very hot when there are no trees present. Evaporation of water from trees causes cloudiness. As clouds can deflect sunlight, trees are indirectly reducing the heat in an area. Trees catch the rain and deflect hail and sleet; it is a form of protection provided by trees. Trees affect the direction and speed of wind. The wind breaking effect of trees is much higher when there are more trees present.

Trees clean the air we breathe.

Trees absorb pollutants such as Carbon monoxide, Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen dioxide in the air. By trapping particles such as dust, smoke, ash and pollen, trees clean the air we breathe. Clean air is necessary for us as breathing polluted air leads to many health problems including allergies and respiratory disorders. Air pollution is further reduced by trees as they lower the air temperature through respiration. If we have more trees, the air we breathe will be cleaner. Those plants we grow for decorative purposes are providing us clean air.

Trees prevent global warming.

The rising trend in atmospheric Carbondioxde, a greenhouse gas, is highly associated with global warming due to the greenhouse effect. Trees help prevent global warming by reducing the levels of Carbondioxde in the air and acting as carbon sinks. During photosynthesis, trees absorb Carbondioxide from the air and store it in the form of sugars. As Carbondioxde is locked away in plants, it is no longer available as a greenhouse gas. Since clouds reflect solar radiation, there will be less heat. This way trees are indirectly preventing the greenhouse effect and hence global warming.

Trees prevent flooding.

During rainy season surface runoff causes inland water bodies such as rivers and lakes to overflow and flood. Trees absorb water which prevents flooding. Trees present near a water body slow down the runoff and give water more time to be absorbed into the ground. In rocky areas, roots from the trees break up rocks and create spaces allowing the flow of water, thus preventing the chances of flooding in nearby lakes or rivers. When trees are not available to hold the runoff water, floods become more likely in an area.